Today Is National Workers’ Memorial Day

April 28th marks National Workers’ Memorial Day, which is dedicated to honoring workers who have died on the job while affirming the commitment to fight for safe and healthful workplaces for all employees in the U.S.

Established in 1971 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Workers’ Memorial Day is observed by various agencies throughout the nation, and this morning, OSHA held a Memorial Day Event in Denver to commemorate the occasion.

Some Statistics & Facts for National Workers’ Memorial Day

Bringing awareness to the incidence of fatal workplace injuries in the U.S., OSHA has published the following facts and stats to highlight the importance of National Workers’ Memorial Day:

Every day in the U.S., 12 Americans die as a result of fatal workplace accidents.

Each year in the U.S., about 3 million serious work injuries and occupational illnesses are reportedly sustained by American workers.

Annually, at least 50,000 American workers die as a result of illnesses they have developed due to long-term exposure to hazards in the workplace.

National Workers’ Memorial Day: Statements from the President & Others

Commenting on the National Workers’ Memorial Day, President Barack Obama has stated:

American laborers form the backbone of our economy — but our economic growth should never come at the cost of their safety or well-being. Those who work every day to put food on the table, provide for their families, or care for their fellow citizens should know their country has their back. Today, as we remember women and men taken from us too soon, we remind ourselves that even one life lost to a preventable job-related incident is one too many, and we focus our efforts on creating a world where success at the workplace is determined only by the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams.

Echoing some of these sentiments, OSHA’s Regional Administrator in Denver, Greg Baxter, stated:

This day is an opportunity for us to remember those in our community who lost their lives on the job and to reflect on how to make our workplaces safer to prevent senseless tragedies such as these in the future… No worker should have to choose between a paycheck and their life.

What will you do to honor National Workers’ Memorial Day? Share your comments with us on our social media pages.

To find out more about how Denver Workers Compensation Lawyer Jennifer Bisset can help you, contact our firm today by calling (303) 894-8900. You can also email our firm using the contact form on the right side of this page. From her office based in Denver, Jennifer Bisset provides superior legal services to injured people throughout Denver County and the state of Colorado.